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Thursday March 28, 2024

Governor muddles historical facts in tribute to Liaquat Ali Khan

By Our Correspondent
October 17, 2021

Perhaps Sindh Governor Imran Ismail is unaware of the fact that the first prime minister of Pakistan, Shaheed-e-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan, was not martyred in Karachi, but that his assassination had taken place in Company Bagh (now Liaquat Bagh) of Rawalpindi in 1951.

The governor arrived at the mausoleum of the Shaheed-e-Millat on Saturday to pay homage to him on the anniversary of his martyrdom. Talking to the media there, he made the startling “disclosure” that Liaquat Ali Khan was martyred in Karachi.

Later in the day, a video clip showing the governor making the said “disclosure” went viral on social media. However, a handout issued by the Governor House wrote “Rawalpindi” in bold letters as the place where Liaquat Ali Khan was martyred.

The handout attributed the statement to Governor Ismail, in an apparent attempt to rectify the grave mistake that he had made during his conversation with media representatives.

On the occasion the governor had been accompanied by leaders and lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, including Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Dr Imran Ali Shah, Saeed Afridi, Raja Azhar and Saifullah Niazi.

The governor said that the Shaheed-e-Millat during his lifetime had emerged as a staunch supporter of the Founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He said that anti-state elements had assassinated Liaquat Ali Khan, and that his martyrdom was a black chapter in the political history of the country.

He mentioned that in the past two decades Karachi had witnessed violence and bloodshed, but now the hustle and bustle of the city had once again been revived on the basis of the sacrifices rendered by the personnel of the law enforcement agencies.

Replying to a question, the governor claimed that the current prices of petroleum products in Pakistan were among the lowest all over the world.

He said the government had been receiving minimal tax on petroleum products, adding that their prices would automatically drop once their costs reduced in the international market.

He also claimed that after Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan, it was Prime Minister Imran Khan who had the most concern for the Pakistani nation than any other past ruler of the country.

He said that the present federal government had not received cooperation from the Sindh government for introducing the Sehat Insaf Cards for the destitute people in the province.

The governor said that he would contact Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday (tomorrow) on the issue of wheat stocks, so as to request him to constitute vigilance committees to monitor the release of wheat in the province.

He pointed out that the per kilogramme cost of wheat flour in Sindh should not exceed Rs50. “But it is an issue pertaining to the provincial government, so it should control these prices either through the deputy commissioners or through any other relevant agency,” he said.